In a step aimed at curbing Gender Based Violence [GBV] directed towards women in the matatu industry, the Principal Secretary in the State Department of Gender and Affirmative Action Anne Wang’ombe on Friday met various representatives of Transport industry to deliberate on measures geared towards containing the vice.
This comes a week after Wang’ombe condemned an incident that showed the man dressed in civilian clothes along Thika Superhighway in a vehicle belonging to the Bybuss Trans dragging the lady passenger before slapping her sending which led to a fall.
The meeting whose discussions agreed on various areas of collaboration brought together representatives from the public transport sector including Matatu Owners Association, Bodaboda Safety Association of Kenya, Tuk Tuk Operators, National Police Service, and Nairobi City County Government among others.
The parties present recognized the urgent need to create a safer and more inclusive environment within the transport industry, acknowledging that gender-based violence poses a significant threat to the well-being and safety of passengers and employees.
“The State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action will collaborate with the public transport industry to review and develop policies that promote gender equality, inclusivity, and zero-tolerance for gender-based violence within the industry. All parties express their commitment to working closely together to implement these initiatives and to foster a culture of respect and safety within the transport industry. It is recognized that addressing gender-based violence requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders, and this collaboration marks a significant step towards achieving this goal”, said the statement
PS Wang’ombe disclosed that strategic implementation efforts to ensure a dedicated complaints hotline [1195] with which passengers and matatu crew will be informed on the various ways of preventing and reporting cases of sexual harassment and assault to National Transport Safety Authority [NTSA] have been established.